The Final Audition
by helloelizabeth
Summary: CP Coulter's Daltonverse. Logan dreams of holding a casting call in New York, and all of his old boyfriends audition. Problem is, none of them seem to fit the role. Derek has an idea why.
1. Chapter 1

The Final Audition

Derek was beginning to accept his role as 'Logan's Psychiatrist', because god knows no professional would be up for the job.

"The one last night was just weird, D." Logan sipped out of his favourite coffee mug. Since Julian's latest diagnosis was disclosed yesterday, some colour had returned to his cheeks, and his eyes sparkled. Julian was expected to make a full recovery. _Physically, at least,_ Derek thought to himself.

"I dreamt I was a director holding a casting call in New York. I was sitting in an empty auditorium with a clipboard for notes."

Derek nodded. It was best to let him talk, especially now that the common room was empty.

Logan continued his recount. "First to walk in was Blaine. He introduced himself, then sang one of Haven's old hits." He scowled a bit at the mention of Clark's band.

"I made notes, deciding that Blaine's passion for music was great. He was a bit short, but I thought I could work with that."

Derek took a large bite out of his croissant to hide his smirk. He knew exactly where this story was going.

"Second to audition was Josh." The prefect looked uncomfortable, as the boy _had_ left the school because of him... "I don't even know what role they were trying out for... But anyway, Josh was amazing too, he really looked the part! Great personality - but maybe he was just a bit too nice."

"Then last of all, or so I thought, was Kurt. He had just the perfect attitude, snarky with underlying tones of affection." Derek almost rolled his eyes at Logan's over-the-top descriptions.

"He sang like a dream too. His appearance was a little too clean, but that wouldn't have been hard to fix."

"I'd sent Kurt back to the waiting room, and I was starting to write up a contract for him when the craziest thing happened!"

"What happened?" _Julian's obviously going to walk in, you idiot! _

"The double doors at the back of the auditorium _burst_ open, and a brunet with dark glasses stalked in." Logan grinned, but his eyes looked like they were about to tear up.

He said affectionately, "He didn't even have the right costume on; his jacket was all wrong and the shirt was wrinkled." Logan appeared to be talking to himself by now with a dreamy expression on his face, remembering better days. "...Still, he made a lasting impression, didn't he."

Derek spoke sarcastically. "I'm sure he did, Logan." Honestly, if Logan was too dim to figure this one out for himself then he didn't deserve his help at all. Derek's mind was already on football...

Logan snapped, "Let me finish, Derek!"

The blond folded his arms behind his head and leaned back in his chair. "The guy climbed up smoothly to the stage, then proceeded to _blow me away_. He was _meant_ for the role! His singing, the appearance, and especially the attitude. They came together _perfectly_."

Derek cringed. He'd never understood why Julian craved this kind of attention from Logan. He was so _unpredictable_, not to mention unbearably possessive. Still, if it was Logan's love that Julian wanted, he respected that.

Logan was off in his own world; his breakfast lay forgotten on the table. "After he finished singing, he took off his sunglasses, and then I realized that it was Julian. He smirked down at me and said, 'Why substitute when you can have the real thing?'"

Derek couldn't hide his wide grin at what Logan said, so he grabbed his sports bag and stood up. Logan yelled after him, "So what do you think it all means?"

Derek remembered a song from that musical show Casey used to watch, then called over his shoulder, "It means that _the dog days are over!_"

Logan picked at his breakfast as Derek skipped out of the building, slamming the door as he exited. _Maybe Julian played the part perfectly... because he was the role himself._


	2. Julian's Version

**The Final Audition - Julian's Version**

Julian sat atop of the cold marble counter outside the auditorium, where they served drinks during the short intermissions. He swung his legs back and forth, trying to drown out the sound of Blaine singing Clark's song. It was moments like these, listening to Logan's past or current loves, that made Julian's shoulders sink and his eyes look lose focus. There just wasn't hope... unless what Derek had said was true. That Logan could love him, he just didn't know it yet.

Derek pulled open the glass door to the concert hall. The blurry form of a lithe brunet perched on the bar was visible from where he stood. He seemed to be chewing on his nail, and Derek could almost hear Carmen's voice screeching at him to 'stop wrecking his manicure!'.

Hearing footsteps approach him, Julian immediately contorted his body into the typical Larson-esque picture of relaxation. The shadow turned a corner, and Julian pulled off his Ray Bans when he saw that it was Derek.

The athlete sighed upon seeing Julian furiously put on an act. Honestly, it was becoming more and more transparent each day, at least to him. Hopefully his audition would set things straight.

Julian smirked, but Derek could see his neck was tense. _He's worried._ "D, You know you didn't have to come right. Couldn't resist seeing me in my turf? Who knows, I've never bombed an audition, but there's a first time for everything..."

Derek jumped up to sit beside his friend on the tall counter. From where the two were sitting, they could see the main road in the city outside, reflective and shiny from the rain they'd had that evening. Inside, the lighting in the hall was low, as though no one was expected to be there that night. All the actors were backstage, patiently waiting until they were called to audition. It was almost peacefully quiet, but Derek knew Julian wouldn't be at rest until he'd finished his tryout. It didn't help that they could hear Blaine finishing the last few notes of his song... Then Logan giving him his praise.

"Jules, just don't worry about it. You've got a clear advantage over the others; you're a triple threat, and we both know Logan think's you're hot."

Kurt had begun singing, it could be heard faintly from outside the theatre.

The two boys waited in silence. Derek chose to ignore Julian's fingers tapping out a nervous rhythm on the marble.

Then it was over. They could hear the director's enthusiastic applause and feedback, and Julian's heartbeat grew quicker as he heard praise through the thin walls. "Kurt, that was fantastic, the way you convey emotion is beautiful!"

Julian hopped off the counter and the sleeve of his wrinkled white button-up rode up slightly - enough for Derek to see a flash of orange plastic wrapped around his thin wrist.

"Jules, what is that?" It was curious, Derek had been issued an identical bracelet when he'd had a concussion last spring, yet he could swear that the actor hadn't been to a hospital recently... Had he?

The leaner boy hastily wrenched down his sleeve, and a button popped off, rolling away until it stopped in the plush carpet.

"It's nothing." He couldn't let Derek know that this wasn't real. The actor may have been in a lucid vision, but his friend thought that this was reality. (He tried not to think of his body, lying asleep in a hospital bed in Ohio). Sure, this was a bit of a stretch, but if he wasn't awake yet, why not play out a few different scenarios in his head?

"It's not nothing! Goddamn it Julian, show me your arm!" The athlete became furious. If Julian was doing his own stunts again, pushing himself to extremes that his body couldn't handle... There was another nagging feeling in the back of Derek's mind. Was there something else? Another reason for the bracelet?

Julian stood there silently, allowing his friend to study him closely, worried that any sudden movement may cause him to grab him - or worse, _understand_.

Faint bruises seemed to appear on his hands, and his face lost a bit of it's colour. A large red scar faded into view on his neck, and Derek realized the truth. _Hell Night. Julian's at the hospital...and yet we're all here. Logan isn't a director, Logan is Logan. Julian isn't auditioning for a movie. He's auditioning for Logan's heart. Oh my god._

_I've got to let him finish. If this is a dream, and it must be, than it won't harm anyone to let Jules indulge in himself - this one time._

Derek, for all his part, wasn't a bad actor himself. He straightened up and smiled a little, though it looked a little sad. Looking Julian in the eyes, his deer-in-the-head-lights eyes, he said, "Look for the light. Don't look at the camera. And smile".

Julian breathed a sigh of relief and shut his eyes, shot Derek a look that said, _You're my best friend for a reason_, and started walking towards the large double doors to the theatre.

"Just promise that you'll come back, Jules, please come home. Us sorry bastards are wishing you never left".

Julian pushed the double doors open with a bang, and proceeded to _blow him away._


End file.
